Hawai’i hammers UC San Diego, claims last Big West berth

HONOLULU – What a sensational Senior Sunday.

The University of Hawai’i baseball team turned in a convincing 13-2 victory over UC San Diego (26-25, 15-15 Big West) on Sunday afternoon, using two home runs from shortstop Jordan Donahue and first baseman Ben Zeigler-Namoa’s perfect day at the plate to secure the final conference tournament berth and the No. 4 seed in the Big West bracket.

Seniors Jordan Donahue (left) and Ben Zeigler-Namoa (right) fires up some shakas after the game. | Photo Credit: Michael Lasquero, HSRN

Right-hander Freddy Rodriguez picked up the victory for the Rainbow Warriors, turning in 4.0 innings of filth out in relief as he struck out three and allowed only one of the 13 batters he faced to reach base.

Hawai’i (33-19, 16-14 Big West) needed a win entering the day, facing what amounted to a one-game playoff against the Tritons for the final available spot in the first-ever Big West Baseball Tournament. After giving the team an inning out of the bullpen in Thursday night’s win, sophomore southpaw Sebastian Gonzalez got the start on Sunday and recorded 4.0 innings of strong work as he gave up a pair of solo home runs while otherwise limiting Triton traffic on the basepaths.

Six different players recorded an RBI for UH, but it was Donahue who delivered the big blow for the Rainbow Warriors with his grand slam over the wall in right field during a six-run third inning, his first home run of the season. The senior added Big Fly No. 2 in his next at-bat, smoking a no-doubt solo shot to extend the lead in the fifth. He finished the day 4-for-5 at the plate with a career-high five runs batted in, matching a season-best with three runs scored for good measure.

Zeigler-Namoa reached in all five of his plate appearances, slapping four singles in his first four at-bats before drawing a walk his final time up. The Lahaina-native also scored twice in what could be his final game inside Les Murakami Stadium, though the veteran utilityman does have another season of eligibility remaining and has not made a final decision on a return.

UC San Diego struck fast in the first, seeing Big West Conference’s home run leader Matthew Crossland detonate a solo bomb to right to give the visitors a 1-0 advantage before UH had even stepped up to bat. Hawai’i responded with a run in the bottom of the second frame when Xaige Lancaster blooped an RBI single into left to score Kamana Nahaku.

Kamana Nahaku (25) was one of the many seniors that were honored Sunday afternoon after the Rainbow Warriors secured the series victory. | Photo Credit: Michael Lasquero, HSRN

Senior right fielder Jared Quandt gave the ‘Bows the lead in the bottom of the third with a one-out RBI single that scored Matt Miura from second base. After Elijah Ickes reached on a fielder’s choice and loaded the bases, Nahaku pushed another run home with an RBI walk before Donahue demolished a grand slam to break the game open and give a 7-1 advantage to Hawai’i.

Tritons third baseman JC Allen tacked on a solo home run of his own in the top of the fourth to pull UCSD within a handful, but that was the final run the visitors would produce as Freddy Rodriguez and Isaiah Magdaleno combined for five shutout innings out of the bullpen for the Rainbow Warriors.

After doubling to lead off the bottom half of the seventh, Jordan Donahue moved to third on a sac fly and stole home to add on to an incredible performance by the senior and the UH lead. The hosts added two more insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth, delighting the home crowd one last time before the regular season finished.

Magdaleno calmly closed out the game with a 1-2-3 top of the ninth inning, getting one last tune-up before the Big West Tournament.

Quandt and catcher Hunter Faildo each went 2-for-5 in the win for Hawai’i, ending their home careers on a high note. Faildo also stole his second base of his UH career while Kamana Nahaku reached base three times despite going hitless in his final home game.

Following the game, 13 seniors for Hawai’i, including Zeigler-Namoa, were honored as part of usual Senior Day ceremonies. An experienced group, the 13 student-athletes boast more than 700 starts combined in their careers and helped deliver the program back-to-back 30-win seasons for the first time in over a decade.

The group felt a rush of emotions over the course of Sunday but admitted that the day didn’t hit as heavy as other senior celebrations because of the excitement and ability to continue playing and fighting towards something this season with the victory.

Hawai’i will head to the campus of Cal State Fullerton for the inaugural Big West Tournament, taking on No. 5-seeded UC Santa Barbara in a single-elimination play-in game on Wednesday, May 21 with first pitch scheduled for 9 a.m. HT. With a win over the Gauchos, the Rainbow Warriors would advance into the double-elimination bracket with a first-round game against top-seeded UC Irvine on Thursday, May 22.

Since joining the Big West Conference, the Rainbow Warriors have not reached the NCAA Tournament. Hawai’i last made the dance in 2010 as members of the Western Athletic Conference (WAC), going 2-2 in the NCAA Regional round and bowing out after losing twice to Arizona State.